"Conan O'Brien Discloses Bizarre Academy Rules for Oscars Statues in Promos"

In a surprising twist of events, former Oscars host Conan O'Brien shared an intriguing story on his podcast, "Conan Needs a Friend," about his thwarted promotional ideas for the Academy Awards. O'Brien and his team had envisioned a series of ads featuring him in a playful domestic partnership with a towering 9-foot Oscar statue. However, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences firmly rejected their creative pitches, particularly those involving the statue's positioning and attire.

O'Brien recounted one of his concepts where he and the Oscar statue would engage in typical couple disputes. "We’re fighting about things couples fight about," he explained. One idea involved the statue lounging on a large couch while O'Brien vacuumed, humorously asking it to lift its feet or help with chores. Despite the light-hearted nature of the proposal, the Academy was adamant in its refusal, stating that the Oscar statue "can never be horizontal."

This strict rule left O'Brien astonished, likening the Oscar to a sacred relic. "Like, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon," he remarked. Additionally, the Academy insisted that the statue remain "always naked," dashing another of O'Brien's ideas where the Oscar would wear an apron while serving leftovers.

The History of Comic Book Movies at the Oscars

45 Images

While the Academy's stringent guidelines may seem perplexing, they are within their rights to enforce them. It's unfortunate that audiences missed out on O'Brien's comedic vision for the promos. Fans are hopeful that O'Brien will return with equally entertaining ideas for future ceremonies, with many rooting for him to host the Oscars again in 2026.